The Innovation, STEAM and Marketing Committees answered the following questions to summate TAB’s charges and roles. In doing so, the committees learned to advocate for all the members’ hard work and contribution to make the Teen Advisory Board what it is today.

1. Why is TAB important?

2. Why should you join TAB?

3. Why give us funding for ____?

4. Why give us more support for ____?

TAB activities and programs serve a vital purpose because not only are teens getting involved, but they’re giving back to their communities. What distinguishes the Teen Advisory Board from other youth organizations is that TAB members have the opportunity to take away lessons regarding critical skills such as leadership, managing overall wellbeing and mental health. The Teen Advisory Board is divided up into committees so that each constituent is enabled to choose their own way to contribute to the Board; a way that is tailored to their own aspirations and talents. These committees include marketing, STEAM, and the Innovation Lab.

The committee I partake in, the marketing committee, works as a whole to better the functionality of TAB’s exposure out into the vast world; particularly Pasadena. We are determined to reach out to teens and make library events accessible. In turn, we are “developing skills for future careers such as branding, advocacy, and engagement in library activities,” as said by the collective committee themselves.

As the topic of discussion surrounded advocacy, the STEAM Committee generated an infographic poster prototype, which included the library’s theme for 2018 (STEAM), the most prominent programs/events that TAB is involved with, such as: the October Murder Mystery, Homework Helpers, the Mental Health Initiative, and the summer reading program etc. The infographic helps audiences visualize the general purpose of TAB, while encapsulating all the resources and events we keep up and running.

With a fast-changing digital world progressing as time advances, The Innovation Lab is serving more of an essential purpose than ever. Unfortunately, technology is expensive and is thus hard to learn about and practice with. That is why the Innovation Lab is so important, as it provides free access to this technology for everyone and anyone. The Innovation Lab is not only a tool for educational and academic purposes, but it also gives additional resources to those that might not otherwise be able to obtain them.